Shaquila Sarapao,
Press Committee Member

Saturday set the scene for the quarterfinals of Coed Teams. Walking into the McPhee gymnasium early in the morning, there was already a cacophony of claps and cheers, particularly at tables 5 and 6.

Red vs. blue—Indiana University vs. UCLA. The first matchups were Sharon Alguetti against Kai Zarehbin and Andi Mai vs. Andrew Wong, respectively. S. Alguetti swiftly won his singles against Zarehbin 3-0. In the second singles match, Mai and Wong battled it out. Mai, down 1-2, stayed calm and collected, ultimately winning the fourth set. The final set was neck-to-neck that had both teams shouting. Mai’s keen blocks played a major role that stunned her opponent at times. However, Wong’s robust forehand was enough to win the match point.

After UCLA Ethan Liu’s win against Indiana’s Jordan Glickman, it was Alexander Wu (UCLA) vs. Gal Alguetti (Indiana). Wu kept the pace slow with his chops and light touches, but G. Alguetti adapted quickly. Patient yet aggressive, G. Alguetti won in straight sets.

Doubles was the deciding factor in whether Indiana University or UCLA continued: the Alguetti brothers vs. Kai Zarehbin/Ethan Liu. With a lot of unforced errors by Indiana, the first set went to UCLA. In the following set, the Alguetti’s had an explosive beginning and used that momentum to win 11-7.

The third set was pivotal for UCLA. A sea of navy filled the stands as Zarehbin/Liu had a 5-1 lead. At 8-7, UCLA called a timeout as Indiana was slowly coming back. The next play had both doubles rallying far away from the table, Indiana taking the point. Suddenly, the teams were tied at 11-11. Two points later and the Alguetti brothers secured the third set and, subsequently, the fourth set at 11-5.

Indiana lost in the semifinals to eventual Coed Team champs Texas Wesleyan. Important to note: in the spirit of camaraderie and sportsmanship, both semifinalists Indiana and NYU decided to share third place in lieu of playing for third and fourth.

(Featured in Photo are Pics of Indiana's Coed Team. Photo Credit to Dennis Yanga).

About 2024 NCTTA College Table Tennis Championships
The championships are hosted by the National Collegiate Table Tennis Association and the Visit Eau Claire CVB. The event will feature: Men’s and Women’s Singles and Doubles, and Men’s/Coed Teams, Women’s Teams.
PongSpace, Joola, the US Coast Guard, Visit Eau Claire and Bluestone Designs sponsor the event.
Watch the event on live stream starting Friday, April 12th on http://www.nctta.org/champs/2024/video.html

About NCTTA
The National Collegiate Table Tennis Association (NCTTA) is a non-profit organization established exclusively to promote the sport of table tennis at the college level. As the national governing body for college table tennis in the United States and Canada, NCTTA organizes elite intercollegiate competitions throughout North America. www.nctta.org